Date: Mon, 22 Jan 1996 17:51:51 -0800
From: Ron Buckmire
Subject: E U R O L E T T E R #38: JANUARY 1996 (39K)
Date: Sat, 6 Jan 1996 14:32:20 +0100
From: steff@inet.uni-c.dk
E U R O - L E T T E R
no. 38 January 1996
The Euroletter is published on behalf of ILGA - The International Lesbian and Gay Association - by the Eurosecretariat of the national
danish organisation for gays and lesbians (LBL), Teglgaardsstraede 13, P.O. Boc 1023, DK-1007 Copenhagen K. Tel. + 45 33 13 19 48
Fax + 45 33 91 03 48, in cooperation with Gay and Lesbian International Lobby. Editors: Steffen Jensen, Ken Egelund Thomassen, Peter
Bryld and Lisbeth Andersen.
You can receive Euroletter via e-mail and from number 30 onwards the Euroletter is avaiabel on the Internet at the
following adresses:
gopher.seta.fi
http://www.qrd.org/qrd/www/orgs/ILGA/euroletter/
http://fglb.qrd.org:8080/fqrd/assocs/ilga/euroletter.html
Contributions to the Euroletter are most easily sent either by e-mail to steff@inet.uni-c.dk or by fax to Steffen Jensen
at +45 4049 5297 (NB: NEW FAX number).
In this issue:
- An Iron Curtain Closes Against hiv-positives
- Romanian Penal Code Reform Rejected
- Proposed Danish Legislation on anti-discrimination
on Labor Market
- New Legislation for Survivors in the Netherlands
- ILGA represented at the Forum Civil Euromed.
- EUROPOL wants to register sexual habits
- Czech Partnership Proposal Falters
- European Union IGC-96 preparations
- ILGA's European Conference in Riga December
1995
- Follow-up to the Riga Conference: tasks for ILGA
member groups
An Iron Curtain Closes Against hiv-positives
1 December 1995, MOSCOW - The Russian Government has
confirmed the type of medical certificate
showing HIV status required to receive a Russian
entry visa, according to which people with HIV-
/AIDS will be barred from coming to Russia for
longer than 3 months.
This certificate signifies official resolve to implement
the controversial AIDS law passed by the Russian
Parliament earlier this year. The supposed purpose of
the medical certificate is to restrict HIV-positive
foreigners from being on Russian territory long-term,
according to a representative of the Russian Government
Information Center, Aleksandr L. Voznesensky.
"A certificate system is ineffective in terms of public
health, discriminatory in terms of human rights, and
ludicrous in terms of feasibility," asserted Dr. Lola
Karimova, a Moscow gynaecologist and the Women's
Health Director of the AESOP Center.
The Russian government resolution approving this
certificate, issued 25 November 1995, directly contradicts
this year's slogan for World AIDS Day - "Sha-
red Rights, Shared Responsibilities" - by denying
people with HIV/AIDS the basic human rights to
privacy and freedom of movement. Last year on this
day, Russia even signed the Paris Declaration guaranteeing
people with HIV/AIDS equal access to work,
education and travel.
The official number of registered HIV and AIDS cases
in Russia as of 1 December 1995 is 1,033, although
most experts agree the actual number is much higher.
Romanian Penal Code Reform Rejected
The Romanian Chamber of Deputies has rejected a
package of revisions to the Romanian penal code, a
package which would have included amendments to
Article 200--Romania's notorious law criminalizing
consensual homosexual acts between adults.
The amendments would have represented a partial but
not complete decriminalization of homosexuality.
Article 200, paragraph 1 of the penal code currently
punishes any adult, consensual homosexual act with
one to five years' imprisonment. The proposed
revisions would have reserved the same punishment
for homosexual acts "committed in public or which
cause public scandal." An additional provision would
have imposed one to five years' imprisonment for
"organizing, associating, or any act of proselytism"
for homosexuality.
The proposed revisions had been widely criticized by
Amnesty International and other human rights organizations
for their vagueness and for potential threats to
freedoms of speech, assembly, and association.
However, the possibility of even a partial liberalization
of laws affecting homosexuality had roused a
storm of controversy in Romania. The Orthodox
Church spearheaded a year-long petition campaign
calling for increased penalties for gay and lesbian sex.
In the November 21 Chamber of Deputies vote, three
extremist parties - the Party of Romanian National
Unity, the Greater Romania Party, and the Socialist
Workers' Party - cast the deciding votes against the
penal code package. All three cited the alleged easing
of sanctions against homosexuality as a crucial reason
behind their opposition.
The Government must now introduce new proposals
for penal code reform in the next parliamentary
session.
The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights
Commission has helped lead a four-year campaign for
repeal of Romania's draconian laws against homosexuality.
We urge the Romanian government to end
its intolerable delays, and to move quickly to meet
international human-rights norms as well as its own
treaty commitments.
We urge you to help pressure the Romanian government to act now.
Sample letter to Romanian government officials
Dear
In its 1993 resolution recommending the admission of
Romania, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe declared that it "expects that Romania will
shortly change its legislation in such a way that . . .
Article 200 of the Penal Code will no longer consider
as a criminal offense homosexual acts perpetrated in
private between consenting adults."
I am writing to express my outrage that, two years
later, Romania has still failed to meet its commitments.
In failing to pass adequate reforms to the Penal Code,
the Parliament of Romania has flagrantly rejected its
international human-rights commitments.
Moreover, even the proposed revision fell flagrantly
short of the expectations expressed by the Council of
Europe. References to homosexual acts "which cause
public scandal" would have left the way open for
continued prosecution, blackmail, and police harassment
of homosexuals in Romania. Moreover, new
provisions against "organizing, associating, or any act
of proselytism" would have constitued a severe
violation of the freedoms of speech, assembly, and
association guaranteed to all Romanian citizens.
Romania's record of broken promises on this issue
must be brought to an end. The persecution and
torture of gays and lesbians in Romania has been
strongly criticized not only by the Council of Europe
but by many other international organizations. In
rejecting penal code reforms in its November 21 vote,
the Romanian parliament has paved the way for
further isolation and condemnation of Romania by the
international community.
We urge you to press for quick passage of an alternative
revision of Article 200, which will eliminate *all*
legal penalties for consensual homosexual acts, and
which will honorably and finally fulfil Romania's
obligations.
Sincerely
Send to:
The Honorable Petru Tanase TAVALA
Chairman, Committee for Human Rights
Senate of Romania
Palatul Parlamentului
Bucharest, ROMANIA
The Honorable Oliviu Gherman
Chairman, Permanent Bureau of the Senate
Senate of Romania (etc.)
The Honorable Adrian Nastase
Presidinte
Camera Deputatilor
Palatul Parlamentului (etc.)
for more information, contact:
Scott Long
tel. 361-131-2589
fax 361-112-4982
email: slong@osiris.elte.hu
Proposed Danish Legislation on anti-discrimination on Labor Market
By Steffen Jensen
The Danish government will shortly propose a bill to
Parliament on discrimination in the labor market. The
minister for Labor Affairs has announced that the bill
will include a prohibition on discrimination on the
ground of sexuel orientation.
Denmark has for several years had anti-discrimination
law covering sexual orientation in any other fields
than the labor market.
New Legislation for Survivors in the
Netherlands
By Michiel Odijk
Just before the end of 1995 the Dutch Senate has
accepted a new legislation for survivors that does
contain some improvements for gay and lesbian
couples (if they live together). However, the new
legislation will deteriorate the financial position of
widows and widowers.
The old Act for Widows and Orphans was to be
replaced by new legislation, and after acceptance of
the second chamber of the Parliament the previous bill
for new legislation failed in the Senate. A revised bill
had to be drafted, discussed in the cabinet, redrafted,
discussed in the second chamber of the Parliament and
then discussed in the first chamber of the Parliament
(Senate). It was the second chamber of Parliament
that introduced the equality for gay and lesbian coup-
les in the legislation. The Senate showed much reluctance
against the bill, because in would introduce an
income treshold for financial support, and thus about
10.000 people would loose the financial support the
could get under the previous legislation. The income
criteria will be used from 1998 onwards; equal rights
for married and unmarried (cohabiting) couples will
be guaranteed in 1996.
After the reluctance in the Senate, the vice minister
for Social Affairs and Employment Robin Linschoten
offered extra money for reconciliation in the cases in
which people would loose the benefits. Then, the
majority of the Senate accepted the bill.
ILGA represented at the Forum Civil
Euromed.
By Pere Cruells
The Governmental Euromediterranean Conference in
Barcelona was followed by the Forum Civil Euromed
with the idea of talking about civil problems and
giving more importance to civil affairs than the
Governmental one. The Forum finished last Friday
(Dec. 1). ILGA Secretaries General, Jordi Petit and
Inge Wallaert, were invited to attend and participate in
the Forum.
The opening ceremony was presided by the Prince of
Spain, Felipe de Borbon, and some speechs of Catalan
and Spanish authorities. Mrs Cristina Alberdi, Minister
of Social affairs talked about the importance and
advances reached at the Beijing Conference and she
remarked the right to the difference of the people.
Jordi Petit presented a comunication on one of the
Forums where he talked about ILGA and its objectives.
Inge Wallaert expressed her thouhgts related with
visibility of lesbian women on Mediterranean countri-
es, especially on those from the South part of the
Mediterranean where the rights of women are not
already considered.
EUROPOL wants to register sexual habits
According to the Danish newspaper "Det Nye Notat"
(an anti-EU campaigning newspaper) officials of the
Council of the European Union have produced a
document about the European policeorganisation
EUROPOL. "Det Nye Notat" refers to a newsletter
"Circular Letter Fortress Europe".
According to documents in the possession of the
newspaper, EUROPOL is proposed to get the right to
establish an Analysis Register containing personal
informations about "interesting persons". Among the
information that could be registrered are: race,
political beleif, religious belief, state of health and sexual
habits!!!
The document should be part of proposal for a EUROPOL
convention produced by the Spanish presidency
of the EU.
As a comment to this piece of news, Alan Reekie has
sent these quotations from Title VI: Provisions on
cooperation in the fields of Justice and Home Affairs,
of the "Maastricht
Treaty":
Art K.1 For the purpose of achieving the objectives of
the Union, in particular the free movement of persons,
and without prejudice to the powers of the European
Community, member-States shall regard the following
areas as matters of common interest:
(1) asylum policy
(2) rules governing the crossing by persons of the
external borders of the member-States and the
exercise of controls thereon,
(3) immigration policy and policy regarding nationals
of third countries:
a. conditions of entry and movement by nationals
of third countries on the territory of member-States;
b. conditions of residence by nationals of third
countries on the territory of member-States,
including family reunion and access to employment,
c. combating unauthorised immigration, residence
and work by nationals of third countries on the
territory of member-States,
(4) combatting drug-addiction, in so far as this is not
covered by (7) to (9),
(5) combatting fraud on an international scale in so
far as this is not covered by (7) to (9),
(6) judicial cooperation in civil matters,
(7) judicial cooperation in criminal matters,
(8) customs cooperation,
(9) police cooperation for the purposes of preventing
and combatting terrorism, unlawful drug trafficking
and other serious forms of international
crime, including if necessary certain aspects of
customs cooperation in connection with the organisation
of a Union-wide system for exchanging
information within a European Police Office
(Europol).
Art. K2
(1) The matters referred to in Art. K.1 shall be dealt
with in compliance withe the European Convention
for the protection of Human Rights and
Fundamental Freedoms of 4 November 1950 and
the Convention relating to the status of refugees of
28 July 1951 and having regard to the protection
afforded by member-States to persons persecuted
on political grounds.
(2) This Title shall not affect the exercise of the
responsibilities incumbent upon member-States
with regard to the maintenance of law and order
and the safeguarding of internal security.
Art K.6
The Presidency and the Commission shall regularly
inform the European Parliament of discussions in the
areas covered by this Title.
The Presidency shall consult the European Parliament
on the principal aspects of activities in the areas
referred to in this Title and shall ensure that the views
of the European Parliament are taken duly into consideration.
The European Parliament may ask questions of the
Council or make recommendations to it. Each year, it
shall hold a debate on the progress made in implemenation
of the areas referred to in this Title.
It seems to me (i.e. Alan Reekie, ed) that this Treaty
explicitly limits the collection (and exchange) of
information by Europol to that which is necessary for
"the purposes of preventing and combatting terrorism,
unlawful drug trafficking and other serious forms of
international crime", in accordance notably with the
provisions of the European Convention on Human
Rights and the Resolutions of the European Parliament,
and that therefore any collection or recording of
information about individuals' "sexual habits" that is
not so necessary would amount to a breach of the
Treaty. I should be very surprised if any formal
proposal from Spain failed to recognise this limitation.
Unfortunately, I would also not be surprised if an
"anti-EU campaigning newspaper" were to make
discreditable allegations that turn out to be false when
investigated, as this has occurred frequently in the
past.
Czech Partnership Proposal Falters
by Rex Wockner
The government of the Czech Republic has deleted a
proposed gay-partnership law from the latest draft of
family-law legislation, calling gay couplings "an
inferior form of marriage" and noting that "only three
European countries recognize this right demanded by
the homosexual minority."
The gay activist group Soho is "very upset" by the
development and urges international protest to
Parliament Chairman Milan Uhde, Predseda Poslanecke
snemovny, Parlamentu CR, Snemovni 4, 118 26
Prague 1, Czech Republic. "There is still a good
chance of influencing the whole process," the activists
said.
European Union IGC-96 preparations
By Alan Reekie
The 90 pages of Conclusions of the Presidency of the
EU Council Meeting held in Madrid on 15 and 16
December 1995 include details of the preparations for
the Inter-governmental Conference to be held in 1996.
In particular, Annex 15 reproduces the Report by the
Reflection Group chaired by Mr Westendorp, which
contains, among other proposals, those for including
an explict commitment by member-States to protecting
human rights in general and to non-discrimination on
grounds of sexual orientation in particular, in the
European Treaties. I understand the full text of the
Report will be made available shortly in at least the
main EU languages through the "Europa" web server
(URL: http://www.cec.lu/), but in the meanwhile I
hope the following extract will be of interest and
useful, especially in those member-States where the
governments may be expected to oppose the explicit
inclusion of such a commitment, and where ILGA
member-Groups should therefore try to persuade them
of the importance of accepting these proposals.
Extracts from the "Presidency Conclusions" of
the Madrid European Council meeting,
15 and 16 December 1995, doc. SN400/95
(...)
IV - Laying the foundations of the Europe of the
Future
The Political Agenda for Europe
The European Council identified the challenges which
the member-States of the European Union must meet
in order to prepare Europe for the 21st century. In the
next five years, we must:
- carry out adjustments to the Treaty on European
Union;
- make the transition to a single currency in line
with the timetable and conditions set;
- prepare for and carry out the enlargement negotiations
with the associated countries of Central,
Eastern and Southern Europe which have applied
for membership;
- determine, in parallel, the financial perspective
beyond 31 December 1999;
- actively continue the policy of dialogue, co-opera-
tion and association already under way with the
Union's neighbouring countries, and in particular
with Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the Mediterranean countries.
Success in all these tasks will mean that a large
community enjoying the benefits of freedom, prosperity and
stability can be set up Europe-wide.
The Intergovernmental Conference
1. The European Council received with great interest
the Report of the Reflection Group chaired by Mr
Westerndorp (Annex 15), which had been instructed by
the European Council to prepare for the
1996 Intergovernmental Conference. It considers
that the guidelines distilled within the Group,
following a thorough analysis of the internal and
external challenges facing the Union and the
possible responses, constitute a sound basis for
the work of the Conference.
(...)
4. The Conference will meet regularly, in principle
once a month, at the level of Foreign Affairs
Ministers, who will have responsibility for all
proceedings; preparations will be conducted by a
working party made up from a representative of
each Member-State's Minister for Foreign Affairs
and of the President of the Commission. The
Secretary-General of the Council will make the
necessary arrangements to provide secretarial
support for the Conference.
5. The European Parliament will be closely associated
with the work of the Conference so that it is
both briefed regularly and in detail on the progress
of the discussions and can give its point of
view, where it considers this to be necessary, on
all matters under discussion. The detailed arrangements
for such association will be determined by
the Ministers for Foreign Affairs in line with the
provisions which apply to the review of the Treaties.
6. The representatives of those countries of Central
and Eastern Europe which have concluded Europe
Agreements, and of Malta and Cyprus, will be
briefed regularly on the progress of discussions
and will be able to put their points of view at
meetings with the Presidency of the European
Union to be held, in principle, every two months.
The European Economic Area and Switzerland
will also be briefed.
Annex 15
A Strategy for Europe
For six months, the members of the Reflection Group
have been working on the European Council mandate
to pave the way for the revision of the Treaty at the
1986 Conference and any other improvements in the
Union's operation, in a spirit of openness and democracy.
We feel it has been our task not only to estab-
lish an annotated agenda for the Conference but also
to set in motion a process of public discussion and
explanation regarding the thrust of the changes to be
made.
The Challenge
Men and women of Europe today, more than ever,
feel the need for a common project. And yet, for a
growing number of Europeans, the rationale for
Community integration is not self-evident. This
paradox is a first challenge.
When the European Communities were first established
forty years ago, the need for a common design
was clear because of Europe's failure over the first
half of this century.
Now, almost half a century later, the successive
enlargements of the Union, the expansion of its tasks,
the very complexity of its nature and the magnitude of
the problems of out times, make it very difficult to
grasp the true significance of, and the continuing need
for, European integration.
Let us accept that complexity is the price that Europe
pays to protect our plural identity.
But we firmly believe that this creation of Europe's
political ingenuity, which cannot take the place of but
is now an inseparable counterpart to the Union's
member-States, from which its main political legitimacy
flows, has been making an invaluable contribution
of its own: peace and prosperity based on a definition
of common interests and action that is the result not of
power politics but of a common body of law agreed by
all.
Today Europe has changed, partly because of the
Union's success. All those European nations rediscovering
their freedom wish to join, or to cooperate
more closely with, the European Union. Yet in
Western Europe, there is a growing sense of public
disaffection despite the Union's contribution to an
unprecedented period of peace and prosperity.
We therefore need to explain clearly to our citizens
why the Union, which is so attractive to others in
Europe, remains necessary for us too.
One reason is that the world outside Europe has also
changed. Goods, capital and services nowadays flow
globally in an increasingly competitive market. Prices
are set world-wide. the prosperity of the Europe of
today and tomorrow depends on its ability to succeed
in the global marketplace.
The end of the Cold War may have increased the
overall security of Europe. But it has also brought
greater instability in Europe.
Furthermore, high levels of unemployment, external
migratory pressures, increasing ecological imbalances
and the growth of international organised crime have
stimulated a public demand for greater security than
can be satisfied by Member-States acting alone.
In an increasingly interdependent world, that reality
poses new challenges and opens up new opportunities
for the Union.
The Response
(...)
The Union cannot tackle all the steps in that European
strategy at once, but it does not have any time to
waste. The Heads of State or Government have
personally taken responsibility for agreeing on a
European agenda for carrying out this plan, which will
only become a reality if it finds democratic backing
from Europe's citizens.
The 1996 Conference
The 1996 Conference is an important, but just a
single, step in this process.
The Maastricht Treaty already foresees that a Conference
should be convened in 1996 with a limited
scope. This scope has subsequently been enlarged at
various European Councils.
The Heads of Government have identified the need to
make institutional reforms as a central issue of the
Conference in order to improve the efficiency,
democracy and transparency of the Union.
In that spirit, we have tried to identify the improvements
needed to bring the Union up to date and to
prepare it for the next enlargement.
We consider that the Conference should focus on
necessary changes, without embarking on a compete
revision of the Treaty.
Against this background, results should be achieved in
three main areas:
- making Europe more relevant to its citizens
- enabling the Union to work better and preparing
it for enlargements;
- giving the Union greater capacity for external
action.
I. The citizen and the Union
The Union is not and does not want to be a super--
state. Yet it is far more than a market. It is a unique
design based on common values. We should strengthen
these values, which all applicants for membership
also want to share.
The Conference must also make the Union more
relevant to its citizens. The right way for the Union to
regain the commitment of its citizens is to focus on
what needs to be done at European level to address the
issues that matter to most of them such as greater
security, solidarity, employment and the environment.
The Conference must also make the Union more
transparent and closer to the citizens.
Promoting European values
Europe's internal security rests on its democratic
values. As Europeans we are all citizens of democratic
States which guarantee respect for human rights.
Many of us think that the Treaty must clearly proclaim
these common values.
Human rights already form part of the Union's general
principles. For many of us they should, however, be
more clearly guaranteed by the Union, through its
accession to the European Convention on Human
Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. The idea of a
catalogue of rights has also been suggested, and a
provision allowing for the possibility of sanctions or
even suspending Union membership in the case of any
State seriously violating human rights and democracy.
Some of us take the view that national governments
already provide adequate safeguards for these rights.
Many of us think it important that the Treaty should
clearly proclaim such European values as equality
between men and women, non-discrimination on
grounds of race, religion, sexual orientation, age or
disability and that it should include an express
condemnation of racism and xenophobia and a procedure
for its enforcement.
One of us believes that the rights and responsibilities
we have as citizens are a matter for our nation-States:
reaching beyond that could have the opposite effect to
that intended.
Some of us also thought it worthwhile to examine the
idea of establishing a Community service or European
"peace corps" for humanitarian action, as an expression
of Union solidarity; such a service could also be
used in the event on natural disasters in the Union.
Furthermore, some of us recommend that the Conference
should examine how better to recognise in the
Treaty the importance of access to public service
utilities ("services publics d'interet general"). We
believe that Europe also shares certain social values
which are the foundation of our coexistence in peace
and progress. Many of us take the view that the Social
Agreement must become part of Union law. One of us
believes that this would only serve to reduce competitiveness.
(...)
European Security and Defence Policy
(...)
Europe and democracy are inseparable concepts. To
date, all the steps in the construction of Europe have
been decided by common accord by the democratic
governments of its member-States, have been ratified
by the national Parliaments and have received popular
support in our countries. This is also how we shall
construct the future.
We realise that this reflection exercise by the Group
is only one step in a public debate initiated and guided
by the European Council. We hope that this public
and joint exercise between our nations will lead to
renewed support for a project that is more than ever
necessary for Europe today.
ILGA's European Conference in Riga
December 1995
Minutes of the workshop on OCSE and Council
of Europe
Facilitator: Steffen Jensen
Minuttaker: Ken Thomassen
14 participants from 8 countries.
First Steffen Jensen reminded the wokshop on the
tasks of OSCE and CoE working party:
- Lobbying in relation to the proposed protocol to
the Europena Convention of Human Rights and
NGO status for ILGA in relation to the CoE.
- Influencing the CoE so that the CoE will also
consider lesbian and gay rights when assessing
whether countries in central and eastern Europe
can join CoE.
- Trying to get gay and lesbian rights cecognised as
a part of the human dimension of the OSCE.
1. The NGO application to CoE
Steffen Jensen infomred about the status of the NGO
to CoE. ILGA applied for NGO status right after the
Helsinke conference in 1994. CoE has not answered
yet but the answer is expected to be positive. ILGA
applied as a world organization but enclosed a list of
only the European member organizations.
2. Re-intorduction of the protocol ton the Convention
on Human Rights.Steffen Jensen explained that an expert meeting in
Copenhagen in 1990 made a draft protocol to the
Convention on Human Rights. Shortly after 10 members
of the parliamentary assembly signed a recommendation of the draft protocol.
Since then it has been impossible to get information
about the status of the draft protocol. The workshop
decided that members of working party should ask
questions to their parliamentary members of the CoE
about the status of the draft protocol.
Hein Verkerk promised to get the relevant information
about members of the different committees of CoE
and send it to the Euroletter.
Hein Verkerk made the point that if the CoE do not
hurry up accepting the protocol the EU will be first by
including discrimination based on sexual orientation in
the EU treaty.
3. Rumania.
The situation in Rumania was described in the workshop "Gay
situation in Rumania" Thursday. As promised Steffen Jensen had
drafted a recommendation which was agreed upon.
4. Other CoE business.
Kurt Krickler informed that Macedonian has been
accepted by the CoE and they still have a ban on
homosexuality. Kurt Krickler is researching the
situation in Macedonian and will send information to
the Euroletter.
5. Report on the progress in OSCE.
Kurt Krickler told that there has only been a few
relevant meetings in 1995 in OSCE.
A seminar took place in Bucharest about tolerance. It
was not possible for members of the working party to
participate but a statement was prepared.
The statement was given by a Rumanian participant.
In a implementation meeting in Warsaw a written
statement written by the working party was given to
all delegations. Two delegations mentioned the issue
but it was not mentioned in the final document.
Steffen Jensen told that the parliamentary assembly
passed a resolution saying that sexual orientation
should be recognised as an area of anti-discrimination.
The workshop discussed the future of OSCE. It seems
that OSCE is less important than expected a few years
ago. It was stressed that it is important for ILGA to be
visible in international organizations.
6. The OSCE/CoE working party and Euroletter.
Steffen Jensen told about the work through Euroletter.
Hein Verkerk said that the working party is very
happy about LBL continuing the work with producing
the Euroletter.
Jackie Lewis suggested that information about the
Euroletter and how to obtain it should be given in the
ILGA bulletin.
This workshop made the following recommendations:
A. ILGA's working party on the CoE is asked to
initiate the following actions in relation to the
situation for gays and lesbians Rumania:
- raise questions to the CoE on the reaction of
the CoE to the fact that the penal code will not
be changed within a foreseeable period of time,
- raise questions to the CoE monitoring group on
Rumanian legislation,
- inform the delegation of the European Parliament
with Rumania about the situation for gays
and lesbians,
- raise questions to member states of the CoE on
the issue mentioned above in the first paragraph,
- try to get international delegations visiting
Rumania to ask for official meeting with the
ACCEPT-group.
B. Ask the working party to re-vitalize the issue of
the draft protocol to the Convention on Human
Rights.
Minutes of the workshop on the European Union
Facilitator: Steffen Jensen
Participants from: Rumania, Denmark, Lithuania,
Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Latvia, Sweden,
Spain, Switzerland
Agenda:
1. Reports
2. ILGA's policy towards EU
3. The Intergovernmental Conference
4. ILGA's EU working party and Euroletter
5. Application for financial support
6. Lobbyist in Bruxelles
7. The PHARE/THACIS project
8. others
1. Hein Verkerk (COC) reports on the meeting with
members from the European Commission. "Equal
Opportunities" has been divided and ended up on
the workload of several Commissioners.
Gay and Lesbian Issues are not included in the
divide work of the Commission. ILGA had asked
for a new meeting with the Commission to discuss
this matter. This meeting took place a few weeks
ago. Interesting to see was that some Commissioners
are interested in the issue, except the responsible
Commissioner, Mr Flynn. (For ILGA's
General Policy see the workshop papers)
2. Concern was voiced about the fact that the workshop
papers only names the religious and political
right as offensive forces. This could change in the
future.
3. Handed out as the extract from the reflection
group on the revision of the EU treaty. Included
in these Conclusions is a proposal for an anti-
discrimination-clause in the treaty that is also
mentioning sexual orientation. These parts of the
Political Agenda for Europe have to be approved
by the Intergovernmental Conference in Amsterdam '97.
We all have to lobby hard to have this
approved. Start with your own government as
soon as possible. The ILGA should take European
action.
What can you do:
- contact the information office of the EU-Commission
and EU-parliament in your own capital
or seat of government to set up meetings
around this point;
- the European working party should set up a
conference/information meeting with members
of the European parliament and representatives
of the Commission;
- every group can set up information meetings in
their own countries;
- ILGA writes a letter to all membergroups that
should be signed and returned to ILGA and
used to shown the support.
Deadlines to consider:
Spring '96 the parliaments have to discuss their
priorities. June'96 Milan-summit; dec '96 Dublin-summit
and june '97 Amsterdam-summit.
4. Ten times a year there is a Euroletter about the
work of the EU-working party. It is sent to approximately
100 post-mail addresses and the same
amount to e-mail. Please give your address to
Steffen Jensen if you would like to receive the
letter.
5. ILGA has applied for money. Andy Quan updates
us about the progress. It seems that no one wants
to take responsibility for the application. Andy
will take action in the near future.
6. Steffen Jensen has contacted Stonewall about this
point. Nothing has come out yet. The COC has
looked into this to, they are thinking of hiring
someone to look for money in the EU, with that
support set up projects (and ILGA overhead).
Hein thinks that some money to hire a fundraiser
will come up soon.
7. A very successful project and we hope to use it
again.
8. Jordi Petit proposes to write a letter to the EU to
complain about the EU starting closer contacts
with Chili because that country still penalises
homosexuality.
Hein Verkerk drafts a letter to Hedy d'Ancona to
congratulate her with the position of president of
the delegation to Rumania and to remind her to
monitor closely the situation on homosexuality in
Rumania.
Recommendations
The Riga conference asks the EU working party to
initiate lobbying for inclusion of an anti-discrimination
law in the new treaty by
- making membergroups contact their national
governments and members of European parliament starting now;
- create public debate on the issue e.g. by asking
the information offices of the European Parliament
and the Commission or local groups to establish
meetings and contacting newspapers;
- liaise with other NGO's with interest in anti-discrimination;
- producing common statement to be signed by as
many membergroups as possible;
- asking all Pride event organisers to include demands for
anti-discrimination clause within the
EU in their statements.
Statement to be signed by European gay and
lesbian groups
The group Egalite will send the following statements
to all European ILGA members asking them to sign it
and return it to Egalite. The statement was agreed
upon at the Riga conference:
The European gay and lesbian organizations that has
signed this statement demands that the follow-up treaty
to the Maastricht treaty on the European Union
includes an anti-discrimination clause covering sexual
orientation.
Such a clause has been recommended by the European
Parliament and is included in the conclusions that the
Madrid-summit December 1995 saw as a proper basis
for new treaty.
We find that an anti-discrimination clause is a
precondition for further measures that will enable equal
treatment of all citizens of the European Union.
Follow-up to the Riga Conference: tasks
for ILGA member groups
According to the decissions in Riga member groups in
member states of the Council of Europe are asked to:
1. Raise questions to their governments on the reaction
of the Council of Europe to the fact that the
Romanian penal code will not be changed within a
foreseeable period of time.
2. Influence delegations from their country visiting
Romania to ask for official meeting with the gay-
/lesbian group ACCEPT.
The working party itself will
3. Raise the above mentioned question to the Council
of Europe and the monitoring group on Romanian
legislation and inform the delegation of the European
Parliament with Romania about the situation for gay
men and lesbians in Romania.
Member groups within the European Union should:
1. Contact their national governments and members
of European parliament starting now about the inclusion
of anti-discrimination clause in a new treaty;
2. Create public debate on the issue e.g. by asking the
information offices of the European Pparliament and
the Commission or local groups to establish meetings
and contacting newspapers;
3. Liaise with other NGO's with interest in anti-discrimination;
4. Sign and return the above statement and send it to
Egalite;
5. Ask all Pride event organisers to include demands
for anti-discrimination clause within the EU in their
statements.
Copies of letters to governments, parliamentarians etc.
should be sent to the working party
coordinator c/o Euroletter.
---
RON BUCKMIRE, Ph.D. http://www.math.oxy.edu/~ron
Mathematics Department, Occidental College, 1600 Campus Road, L.A., CA 90041
buckmire@oxy.edu||+1 213 259 2536 (vox)||+1 213 341 4966 (fax)
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